Taste of Des Plaines volunteers work to keep costs low

Despite reduced city financial support, this weekend's Taste of Des Plaines isn't making cuts and in fact is adding activities, thanks to the efforts of volunteers and the support of various community agencies.

Des Plaines resident Jim Wozny, for example, began volunteering with the city's Special Events Commission six years ago and right now, he is working to put on the Taste after already serving last winter as chair of the New Years Eve on the Plaza event.

Wozny said it would be impossible to count the number of hours the volunteers puts into such events and that Special Events Commission Chairman Linda Forman has spent every night the last two months preparing for the Taste.

The commission is composed entirely of volunteers, Forman said, adding she does not know what the city would do without them.

"I think it's just awesome that Des Plaines has such an active volunteer commission," she said.

By providing their services for free, volunteers allow the Taste to keep admission prices down, said Gayle Mountcastle, the park district's superintendent of recreation and special events commissioner.

Four years ago Mountcastle joined the commission. She said she helps promote partnerships between the commission and other Des Plaines organizations. That's helped in a year when the city has had to reduce support due to budget problems.

In the past, the city paid for public works employees and policemen to work overtime. This year, the commission had to pick up those costs, making the event more expensive to stage.

But police and public works departments have arranged for employees to take time off during the week to avoid most overtime charges. In addition, the Des Plaines library is paying for some of the entertainment this year.

Wozny and Forman said they expect more people are going to be attending, rather than spending money to travel. The event has drawn between 20,000 and 25,000 people in previous years.

"The biggest thing in today's economy it just gives - the residents something to do - to get out and enjoy the events that we put on," Wozny said.

The Taste presents a range of events to attract people of all ages, ranging from the Art Guild's 56th Annual Art Fair to a park district sponsored 5k run and for kids, 50-yard dash, to raise money for underprivileged youths to participate in extracurricular activities. For a complete schedule of events, go to desplaines.org/Community/PDF/2009TasteSchedule.pdf.

"We try to gear the whole thing for a family," Forman said. "I try to have something there for everybody."

If you go

Dates and times: Friday, June 5, from 6 to 11 p.m.; Saturday, June 6, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday, June 7, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Fees: There are no admission fees, but food, drinks and tickets for carnival games can be purchased

Parking: Available at Metropolitan Square, the Des Plaines Library and on the street

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